2023 Best Schools in Kentucky
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
The Best Schools in Kentucky ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 38 schools in Kentucky to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Schools in Kentucky
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Bluegrass Community and Technical College the best school in Kentucky for students working on their degree.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,647 in student loans.After graduating from Bluegrass Community and Technical College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $39,280 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Jefferson Community and Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Schools in Kentucky list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,344 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Jefferson Community and Technical College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,170 during the early year of their career.
Read full report on Jefferson Community and Technical College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Bellarmine University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
Degree recipients from Bellarmine U accumulate an average of $28,396 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $272, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Bellarmine U graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $46,915 during the early year of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Schools in Kentucky list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,186 in student loans. During the early years of their career, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College graduates make an average of $41,037 annually.
Read full report on Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
The excellent programs at Georgetown College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Kentucky.
Degree recipients from Georgetown College accumulate an average of $26,780 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Georgetown College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $34,112 during the early years of their career.
Thomas More University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #6 on the list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,149 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Thomas More graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $56,366 during the early year of their career.
Centre College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $630 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Centre College of Kentucky, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $28,805 during the early years of their career.
University of Louisville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,775 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $239, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UofL, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $49,447 during the early years of their career.
University of Kentucky came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Kentucky ranking.
On average, students take out $23,598 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $389 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UK, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $43,675 during the early years of their career.
Gateway Community and Technical College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
Degree recipients from Gateway accumulate an average of $17,491 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Gateway, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $38,770 during the early years of their career.
Spalding University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
Degree recipients from Spalding accumulate an average of $33,730 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Spalding graduates make an average of $48,695 annually.
Northern Kentucky University landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
Degree recipients from NKU accumulate an average of $26,681 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $199, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from NKU, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,837 during the early years of their career.
Asbury University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
Degree recipients from Asbury accumulate an average of $27,330 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Asbury graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $36,825 during the early year of their career.
Madisonville Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,634 in student loans.After graduating from Madisonville Community College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $41,288 during the early years of their career.
Sullivan University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
On average, students take out $28,500 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $262. Once they receive their degree, Sullivan University graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,464 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #16, Lindsey Wilson College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
On average, students take out $24,348 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Lindsey Wilson College graduates make an average of $34,090 annually.
With a ranking of #17, Western Kentucky University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
Degree recipients from WKU accumulate an average of $25,012 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $220, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, WKU graduates make an average of $37,898 annually.
With a ranking of #18, Beckfield College - Florence did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
Degree recipients from Beckfield College - Florence accumulate an average of $35,073 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Beckfield College - Florence, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $32,658 during the early years of their career.
Murray State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,713 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $228. Once they receive their degree, Murray State graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $41,161 during the early year of their career.
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,216 in student loans.After graduating from SKYCTC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $32,998 during the early years of their career.
Full Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Report
West Kentucky Community and Technical College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Kentucky ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,740 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, West Kentucky Community and Technical College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $29,988 during the early year of their career.
Read full report on West Kentucky Community and Technical College
Eastern Kentucky University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
On average, students take out $26,284 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $185.After graduating from Eastern, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $37,738 during the early years of their career.
University of the Cumberlands ranked #23 on this year’s Best Schools in Kentucky list.
On average, students take out $24,361 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $86.After graduating from Cumberlands, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $43,758 during the early years of their career.
Somerset Community College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,406 in student loans. During the early years of their career, SCC graduates make an average of $33,815 annually.
Berea College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #25 on the list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,164 in student loans. During the early years of their career, Berea graduates make an average of $27,227 annually.
Best Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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